Earlier this week, I was giving my class examples of "win-lose negotiations", and tried using students' names in my illustrations. I started by saying "Blah" and "Blah-blah" are married, and... Right when I said that, everyone started laughing. Reason? "Blah-blah" and "Mwah", who are both in the class, have been a couple for six years, something I didn't know. Thus, the class was laughing at "Mwah", who probably felt weird hearing his girlfriend, "Blah-blah", was married to someone else in my little example. Oops.
Last night, I had drinks with two female acquaintances, who talked about past relationships. I just don't get it. Why do men, who are already married, try to pick women up? They would say they're "taking a break from (their) relationship", but act as though they're not married. And this has happened to both of these women, on multiple times. Yikes. I ask, why? Why do men do that? Fun times, hearing their wild, entertaining stories. However, I've already promised not to use these tales in any upcoming books...
What happens early on doesn't necessarily tell you how things will end.
For example, look at the doubleheader between the Blue Jays and Red Sox at Fenway:
Game One
In the 4th inning, the Blue Jays had two runners (Vernon Wells on a blooper to left, Adam Lind on his own drive off the Green Monster) thrown out at third base within moments of each other. Toronto scored just a run to go up 2-0, even though it could have had more.
Jays won, 8-1.
Game Two
The Jays scored five runs to take a 5-2 lead in the second inning.
Red Sox rallied and won, 7-5.
Today's Random Links:
"Love in marriage can never die..."
Can passion every night improve a marriage?
Roy will finally have number retired
Wild one in Edmonton as Eskies rally past Ti-Cats
Landline vs. Cell Phone?
Today's KP Links:
KP's Recap for Blue Jays-Red Sox, on Bleacher
Same as above, on MVN
The Hockey Farmer / Showing Their Scales
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
More Random Thoughts...
I don't like Patrick Roy, but there's one thing about him that's similar to me: When I get challenged, I'm at my best.
Just like when Steve was co-teaching Business with me, I was motivated to be as great or better than him.
So, when Rick started bashing me for not posting, I've taken it upon myself to do so on a regular basis--even if it's crap (that's subjective, though).
Thus, here's yet another post.
I've talked to my editor at the publisher. She's been very supportive and says she'll surely mention "Replacement Pitcher" at their editorial meetings, which has neither been accepted or rejected as of today. However, if it were accepted, the earliest it could be released would be next April, as they're booked up through March for releases.
In the meantime, life goes on, and I've done with "Fess up Jessup" and will likely submit it soon, seeing future titles might get pushed further back.
Tonight, I've been thinking about why I've been on Overanything.com. I just clicked on a logo one day last year and got onto OA by accident. It's just a simple site run by the aforementioned Rick, and there's a lot of discussion and in-jokes on there that I enjoy going on there. And I've been on there regularly. Guys like House and Cliff and Rick, and Trout, BBJ, and others, are all very funny and entertaining. Glad to get the chance to rap with these guys.
Today's (well, yesterday's) Sports Links:
*Curt Schilling trashes New Yorkers (yes, I know this came at the heels of the Brady injury, but odd about the timing since it came a couple days before 9/11--in fact, didn't Brady make his debut that week in 2001?)
*Same topic, on FOXSports
*Sully Baseball's take on whether or not WS-winning managers should make the HoF
Just like when Steve was co-teaching Business with me, I was motivated to be as great or better than him.
So, when Rick started bashing me for not posting, I've taken it upon myself to do so on a regular basis--even if it's crap (that's subjective, though).
Thus, here's yet another post.
I've talked to my editor at the publisher. She's been very supportive and says she'll surely mention "Replacement Pitcher" at their editorial meetings, which has neither been accepted or rejected as of today. However, if it were accepted, the earliest it could be released would be next April, as they're booked up through March for releases.
In the meantime, life goes on, and I've done with "Fess up Jessup" and will likely submit it soon, seeing future titles might get pushed further back.
Tonight, I've been thinking about why I've been on Overanything.com. I just clicked on a logo one day last year and got onto OA by accident. It's just a simple site run by the aforementioned Rick, and there's a lot of discussion and in-jokes on there that I enjoy going on there. And I've been on there regularly. Guys like House and Cliff and Rick, and Trout, BBJ, and others, are all very funny and entertaining. Glad to get the chance to rap with these guys.
Today's (well, yesterday's) Sports Links:
*Curt Schilling trashes New Yorkers (yes, I know this came at the heels of the Brady injury, but odd about the timing since it came a couple days before 9/11--in fact, didn't Brady make his debut that week in 2001?)
*Same topic, on FOXSports
*Sully Baseball's take on whether or not WS-winning managers should make the HoF
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What if the Jays...
Someone wrote in with the subject line If Jays finish 17- 2 they make the playoffs 9 out of 10 times. The writer provided me with this link here (which is updated daily) stating the Blue Jays' case.
In any case, Toronto lost, and the 10-game streak is over. Boston also lost, despite loading the bases with none out in the last of the 14th in a game that lasted just over five hours.
The Jays are faced with the same scenario as the 2007 Phillies: now 7 games out with 17 left.
Today's Random Links:
Credit Card Tips
Top Young Entrepreneurs
Teacher Runs into Bear!
Speaking of teachers, yup - once again there was this bullcrap moment in the staff room. I stepped in there to use the computer for five minutes, and there was Catherine in her "I'm-more-superior-than-Asians" rant, and she and Claxton then were criticizing a Korean for not knowing how to pronounce "Jorge." I was there for only five minutes and those people were talking that kind of nonsense. Wonder how much of that crap actually gets said when I'm not around.
In any case, Toronto lost, and the 10-game streak is over. Boston also lost, despite loading the bases with none out in the last of the 14th in a game that lasted just over five hours.
The Jays are faced with the same scenario as the 2007 Phillies: now 7 games out with 17 left.
Today's Random Links:
Credit Card Tips
Top Young Entrepreneurs
Teacher Runs into Bear!
Speaking of teachers, yup - once again there was this bullcrap moment in the staff room. I stepped in there to use the computer for five minutes, and there was Catherine in her "I'm-more-superior-than-Asians" rant, and she and Claxton then were criticizing a Korean for not knowing how to pronounce "Jorge." I was there for only five minutes and those people were talking that kind of nonsense. Wonder how much of that crap actually gets said when I'm not around.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
No Charles, no House, no NY-Bashing...
Sorry to disappoint you, Rick.
There's been no sign of Charles in the last 24 hours. I think he'll show up only if I start bashing A-Rod, and maybe even the Yankees.
But, as you know, both you (ie. Rick) and House have banned me from the New York-bashing. Thus, I had to resort to praising the Bombers just to please House. (See one of Tuesday's posts.)
Today's KP links:
I say Blue Jays have no chance on Bleacher
I say BJs have no chance on MVN
There's been no sign of Charles in the last 24 hours. I think he'll show up only if I start bashing A-Rod, and maybe even the Yankees.
But, as you know, both you (ie. Rick) and House have banned me from the New York-bashing. Thus, I had to resort to praising the Bombers just to please House. (See one of Tuesday's posts.)
Today's KP links:
I say Blue Jays have no chance on Bleacher
I say BJs have no chance on MVN
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Bell cares about the environment? Give me a break!
Not sure how many of you readers out there are Bell customers, but I was just going through my bills and found this idiotic comment on the back of the telecommunications company envelope.
Trying to explain why it still had the old Bell logo, it read:
" 'Hey, didn't Bell change its logo?' You're right, we did. But since part of making today better means not wasting paper, we're using up the old stationery first. (Help save even more trees: sign up for paperless billing at bell.ca/mybell) "
That's laughable. Hogwash. Are you kidding me? The reason I say this? Just as I suspected, in the envelope with my statement, was a junk newsletter--which I have no issue with even though I never read that stuff; companies want to advertise their products; fine, no prob. However, also included in the envelope was a return envelope.
Now, I've been a customer for years, and I've never used the return envelope since I've always paid by telephone or online banking. Yet every single month, I receive this return envelope without fail. Why Bell does not keep track of how customers pay bills is beyond me. Why keep sending me these envelopes when my past history shows I've never had to use one?
In fact, why not be the leader of the pack by not sending this stuff to customers, period? Granted, there are still many who prefer snail mail, but in this day and age, if those people still want to do that, make them sign up for paper billing. After all, since they are in a way not helping to "save even more trees", make it inconvenient for them. Just assume everyone will go the paperless route instead, and don't send it anymore! Isn't that going to encourage more people not to use paper?
Geez--even Bell can't get it right. Whenever you hear companies say they care about the environment and stuff, I just say 'hogwash.'
Today's random links:
Soccer team offers cemetery to devotees!
Despite Cliff Lee's 21-2 record, Cleveland's still cursed
Trying to explain why it still had the old Bell logo, it read:
" 'Hey, didn't Bell change its logo?' You're right, we did. But since part of making today better means not wasting paper, we're using up the old stationery first. (Help save even more trees: sign up for paperless billing at bell.ca/mybell) "
That's laughable. Hogwash. Are you kidding me? The reason I say this? Just as I suspected, in the envelope with my statement, was a junk newsletter--which I have no issue with even though I never read that stuff; companies want to advertise their products; fine, no prob. However, also included in the envelope was a return envelope.
Now, I've been a customer for years, and I've never used the return envelope since I've always paid by telephone or online banking. Yet every single month, I receive this return envelope without fail. Why Bell does not keep track of how customers pay bills is beyond me. Why keep sending me these envelopes when my past history shows I've never had to use one?
In fact, why not be the leader of the pack by not sending this stuff to customers, period? Granted, there are still many who prefer snail mail, but in this day and age, if those people still want to do that, make them sign up for paper billing. After all, since they are in a way not helping to "save even more trees", make it inconvenient for them. Just assume everyone will go the paperless route instead, and don't send it anymore! Isn't that going to encourage more people not to use paper?
Geez--even Bell can't get it right. Whenever you hear companies say they care about the environment and stuff, I just say 'hogwash.'
Today's random links:
Soccer team offers cemetery to devotees!
Despite Cliff Lee's 21-2 record, Cleveland's still cursed
This one's for House!
Well, House has requested I write something positive about the Yankees. I don't normally take requests, but this time I will. This site is called "KP's HOUSE", after all.
So, New York lost 12-1 to the LA Angels last night, but there were some positives.
* Carl Pavano pitched into the 6th, and at least kept things close for a while
* Pudge Rodriguez showed a lot of fight and emotion in being involved in a scuffle with good friend Torii Hunter -- it meant he cared (and on a side note, Hunter did NOT score despite stealing both second and third off I-Rod)
Though the Angels are great, there won't be another 11-run defeat for the Bombers.
*****
On another note, Rick owned me in last spring's playoff pool, and beat me in the new BBP last night. Hey, at least I'm #2!
And when I last checked, #83,000-something in Amazon.ca's sales ranking... not bad for a hobby!
So, New York lost 12-1 to the LA Angels last night, but there were some positives.
* Carl Pavano pitched into the 6th, and at least kept things close for a while
* Pudge Rodriguez showed a lot of fight and emotion in being involved in a scuffle with good friend Torii Hunter -- it meant he cared (and on a side note, Hunter did NOT score despite stealing both second and third off I-Rod)
Though the Angels are great, there won't be another 11-run defeat for the Bombers.
*****
On another note, Rick owned me in last spring's playoff pool, and beat me in the new BBP last night. Hey, at least I'm #2!
And when I last checked, #83,000-something in Amazon.ca's sales ranking... not bad for a hobby!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Charles Strikes Again!
Holy cow. Charles just wrote a long passage criticizing me on grammar, and ripped me about my A-Rod comments. I have no comeback to his rants on grammar. None at all. I'm having a headache just looking at it.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/54119-a-rod-continues-homer-binge-in-meaningless-situations
by charles
Uh, yeah, I haven't a doubt you teach grammar DO. I know the "rules" and was actually poking fun at myself for offering corrections in my initial post, by citing a more traditionally correct yet less often employed grammatical construction.
Below is what some "expert" wrote:
Than I versus Than Me.
Than, as used in comparatives, has traditionally been considered a conjunction; as such, if you're comparing subjects, the pronouns after than should take the "subjective case." In other words, "He's taller than I," not "He's taller than me"; "She's smarter than he," not "She's smarter than him." If, on the other hand, you're comparing direct or indirect objects, the pronouns should be objective: "I've never worked with a more difficult client than him."
There are some advantages to this traditional state of affairs. If you observe this distinction, you can be more precise in some comparisons. Consider these two sentences:
* He has more friends than I. (His total number of friends is higher than my total number of friends.) * He has more friends than me. (I'm not his only friend; he has others.)
The problem, though, is that in all but the most formal contexts, "than I" sounds stuffy, even unidiomatic. Most people, in most contexts, treat than as a preposition, and put all following pronouns in the objective case, whether the things being compared are subjects or objects. "He's taller than me" sounds more natural to most native English speakers.
This isn't a recent development: people have been treating than as a preposition for centuries. Consider the following from big-name English and American writers:
* Matthew Prior, Better Answer: "For thou art a girl as much brighter than her,/ As he was a poet sublimer than me." * Samuel Richardson's Clarissa, 1.10.58, "I am fitter for this world than you, you for the next than me." * Lord Byron's letter of 2 November 1804, "Lord Delawarr is considerably younger than me." * Robert Southey, Well of St. Keyne, 51: "She had been wiser than me,/ For she took a bottle to Church." * William Faulkner's Reivers, 4.82: "Let Lucius get out . . . He's younger than me and stouter too for his size."
So what should you do? I don't have a good answer, other than the most general advice possible: try to size up your audience, and figure out whether they're likely to be happier with the traditional or the familiar usage. [Entry added 3 Jan. 2005.]
Today's KP links:
Tim Wakefield's career
A-Rod 0 for 10 (with bashing from "Charles")
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/54119-a-rod-continues-homer-binge-in-meaningless-situations
by charles
Uh, yeah, I haven't a doubt you teach grammar DO. I know the "rules" and was actually poking fun at myself for offering corrections in my initial post, by citing a more traditionally correct yet less often employed grammatical construction.
Below is what some "expert" wrote:
Than I versus Than Me.
Than, as used in comparatives, has traditionally been considered a conjunction; as such, if you're comparing subjects, the pronouns after than should take the "subjective case." In other words, "He's taller than I," not "He's taller than me"; "She's smarter than he," not "She's smarter than him." If, on the other hand, you're comparing direct or indirect objects, the pronouns should be objective: "I've never worked with a more difficult client than him."
There are some advantages to this traditional state of affairs. If you observe this distinction, you can be more precise in some comparisons. Consider these two sentences:
* He has more friends than I. (His total number of friends is higher than my total number of friends.) * He has more friends than me. (I'm not his only friend; he has others.)
The problem, though, is that in all but the most formal contexts, "than I" sounds stuffy, even unidiomatic. Most people, in most contexts, treat than as a preposition, and put all following pronouns in the objective case, whether the things being compared are subjects or objects. "He's taller than me" sounds more natural to most native English speakers.
This isn't a recent development: people have been treating than as a preposition for centuries. Consider the following from big-name English and American writers:
* Matthew Prior, Better Answer: "For thou art a girl as much brighter than her,/ As he was a poet sublimer than me." * Samuel Richardson's Clarissa, 1.10.58, "I am fitter for this world than you, you for the next than me." * Lord Byron's letter of 2 November 1804, "Lord Delawarr is considerably younger than me." * Robert Southey, Well of St. Keyne, 51: "She had been wiser than me,/ For she took a bottle to Church." * William Faulkner's Reivers, 4.82: "Let Lucius get out . . . He's younger than me and stouter too for his size."
So what should you do? I don't have a good answer, other than the most general advice possible: try to size up your audience, and figure out whether they're likely to be happier with the traditional or the familiar usage. [Entry added 3 Jan. 2005.]
Today's KP links:
Tim Wakefield's career
A-Rod 0 for 10 (with bashing from "Charles")
Sunday, September 7, 2008
A-Rod 0-for-10 in Seattle...
Alright! Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees has juuuuust grounded out to end the top of the 8th inning at Safeco Field, and with New York down 4-2 to the Mariners, A-Rod might not get another AB the rest of the game.
A-Rod is now 0-for-10 in the three-game series in Seattle. Nice!
Hitless in Seattle.... and if the Mariners do hang on (stopper J.J. Putz will be sent out to close things out in the 9th), the Yanks will have dropped two of three versus the last-place M's!
Check that - Seattle second baseman Jose Lopez just homered for the second time in the game, and New York is now down 5-2.
Another bonus is Mike Mussina won't be getting his 18th win today. Beautiful!
I wonder what "Charles" will have to say now... (See post below)
A-Rod is now 0-for-10 in the three-game series in Seattle. Nice!
Hitless in Seattle.... and if the Mariners do hang on (stopper J.J. Putz will be sent out to close things out in the 9th), the Yanks will have dropped two of three versus the last-place M's!
Check that - Seattle second baseman Jose Lopez just homered for the second time in the game, and New York is now down 5-2.
Another bonus is Mike Mussina won't be getting his 18th win today. Beautiful!
I wonder what "Charles" will have to say now... (See post below)
Today's random thoughts
I've just realized I've been quite the hypocrite on blogspot here.
A few days ago, I was ranting about how TSN2's lineup was weak, and thought both TSN and TSN2 could probably show the same events, programming, whatever.
But that's exactly what I was doing here, on this blog and on my "author blog." There were times I've posted the same material on both. Shame on me.
I'm not going to say "Tomorrow I'll be Perfect" a la Dave Stieb, but I'll "try."
Speaking of book titles, "Fess up, Jessup" is coming along very well. I'm up to 18,000 words, and it's almost finished. However, I am going to try and add a few more scenes and run up the word count. Reason? I want "Fess up, Jessup" to be a print book on its own rather than just an e-book, and it'll need to be longer than that. (See "Sweet Voice of Innocence", "False Ex-Pectations", and "Rainbow Trout", which were all just e-books.)
In regards to the A-Rod link below... you know, I appreciated "Charles'" feedback the first time, but if this dude is just picking on every word I'm saying, I'm not going to be kind in my responses. Not when it appears he's trying to be a smart-ass.
Today's KP links:
Marcum's gem vs. Rays
Tim Lincecum vs. Brandon Webb
A-Rod's "meaningless" jacks (with a reader correcting me on my grammar!)
Blue Jays win 9-0 and go 9-0 vs. Twins
A few days ago, I was ranting about how TSN2's lineup was weak, and thought both TSN and TSN2 could probably show the same events, programming, whatever.
But that's exactly what I was doing here, on this blog and on my "author blog." There were times I've posted the same material on both. Shame on me.
I'm not going to say "Tomorrow I'll be Perfect" a la Dave Stieb, but I'll "try."
Speaking of book titles, "Fess up, Jessup" is coming along very well. I'm up to 18,000 words, and it's almost finished. However, I am going to try and add a few more scenes and run up the word count. Reason? I want "Fess up, Jessup" to be a print book on its own rather than just an e-book, and it'll need to be longer than that. (See "Sweet Voice of Innocence", "False Ex-Pectations", and "Rainbow Trout", which were all just e-books.)
In regards to the A-Rod link below... you know, I appreciated "Charles'" feedback the first time, but if this dude is just picking on every word I'm saying, I'm not going to be kind in my responses. Not when it appears he's trying to be a smart-ass.
Today's KP links:
Marcum's gem vs. Rays
Tim Lincecum vs. Brandon Webb
A-Rod's "meaningless" jacks (with a reader correcting me on my grammar!)
Blue Jays win 9-0 and go 9-0 vs. Twins
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